Hitch attachment for vacuum cleaners



Dec. 29, 1942. .1. L. HELSING HITCH ATTACHMENT FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed May 20, 1942 INVENTOR.

BY 2% {Tram/by I Patented Dec. 29, 1942 I HITCH ATTACHMENT :OLEANER FSFOR VACUUM J Linustflelsing, Dallas, Tex. Application May 20', 1942, Serial No. 443,751 3Claims. -Cl. v-257) This #invention relates to suction cleaners or vacuum cleaners of a type which include-a dusting'tool unitg-and in suchconnection it relates to certain'ir'nprovements in relation to the dusting tool unit.

In vacuum or suction cleaners of this character it is a well -known'fact that the hose connection leading from the body of the machine and attached to a dusting tool is not always of sufiicient length to reach to all desired positions or objects. This necessitates lifting, sliding or carrying the cleaner to proper position to enable the tool to reach the object or wall, or wherever the cleaning or dusting is to be done. Also since most cleaners of the above type have the hose connected to the body of the machine on the side or at right angles to the line of travel, the hose cannot be used effectively so as to pull or move the machine along the floor.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a device which may be attached to vacuum cleaners so that the hose connection with the dusting tool thereon may be held in a position on the body of the cleaner in line with the regular wheel motion or forward movement of the machine. In other words so that the hose in Figure 1, the device "is used on vacuum cleaners indicated at I whi-chhave a hose line2 which has its connection to themachine at the side thereof or as 'indicatedat 3. It will'be easily 'understood'that the hose cannot be effectually employed 'to'pull the machine along the -fioor as I machines of this type'have rollersor small wheels may be used to pull the machine to the position desired when the hose does not reach the object on which the dusting tool is to be used.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an attachment for vacuum cleaners which will hold the hose in a position on the body of the machine in approximately the center of the front portion of the cleaner and securely and removably fastened in a relatively low position to provide for a direct pull in line with the tread of the wheels supporting the body.

The invention includes other desirable features such as means in its construction for easily attaching and removing the device to the body of the cleaner, as well as simplicity of construction and economy of manufacture.

The invention may be readily understood from a perusal of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner partly broken away and illustrating the attachment in operable position thereon;

Figure 2 is a sectional detail view taken along I the line 22 of Figure .1; and

Figure 3is a top plan view, enlarged, and partly broken away, showing the attachment removed from the cleaner.

In carrying out the invention and as shown supporting the body and which wheels only permit the body to be moved forwardly in line with the front end of the machine.

In the present invention this difiiculty has been removed. by the use of the attachment shown per se in Figure 3. It consists of a frame made of steel wire or other flexible metal or may be constructed of any material which will provide a frame for the purposes hereinafter described more in detail. This frame embodies a construction which has preferably a single piece of steel rod or wirebent into such shape as to provide two arms 4 with hooked ends 5. The ends 5 are as shown in Figure 1 placed in holes made in the body of the cleaner I, the arms being curved to provide a springy effect and hold the ends in the holes more effectually. The wire is then directed forwardly to provide two parallel extensions 6, then directed upwardly at 1, then rearwardly to provide a loop 8, one loop on each side of the frame, the front of the frame including a support 9. A brace piece I 0 holds the loops 8 and forward extensions 6 in parallel relation, the loops being for the purpose of giving a resilient or spring tensional effect and supporting by the cross part 9 a member II. This member II is loosely held on the cross part or support 9 and has its lower end formed into hooks l2, and as shown in Figure 2, these hooks are slipped under the forward portion l3 of the cleaner frame. This arrangement provides, with thehooked ends 5 of the arms 4, a means for removably attaching the device to the body of the machine. The

upwardly directed portions 1 of the frame which verge into the loop provide a means of support for a bridge 14 which holds a hose 2 in proper position where it may be utilized to pull the machine body along the fioor, as previously pointed out. The device embodying the attachment also provides a means for enabling the front end of the body of the cleaner to pass objects on the floor, such as mats and rugs, by using the hose to lift the front end of the machine. This requires that the connection be forward and low, as the wheels or rollers on which the machine is supported are necessarily small and cannot rise or climb over an object such as a throw rug. Some vacuum cleaners have the hose attached in the direction of travel of the machine, but such connection is usually high and back some distance from the front of the machine. Such an arrangement could not furnish the same lifting effect or leverage as the more forward hitch. The present. construction enables the hose line to be utilized to pull the cleaner along the floor when the hose is not long enough to reach the desired position or objective where the dusting tool may be used. It also enables the cleaner to be lifted over obstructions such as pointed out.

It will be understood that the disclosure may be modified to some extent within the range of the inventive thought shown and to an extent which would be within the scope and meaning of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a portable suction cleaner including a floor tool adapted to be moved longitudinally along the floor for ordinary cleaning purposes, said floor tool having an auxiliary suction inlet at one side thereof, and an auxiliary dusting tool unit including a flexible hose operatively connected to said outlet; of meansdetachably carried by said floor tool for clamping a portion of said hose pipe intermediate the suction inlet and the dusting tool, to position the clamped portion substantially in the central longitudinal axis of the floor tool and parallel to the direction of movement and to direct the clamped .portion of the hose pipe forwardly with reference to the direction of movement of the floor tool, whereby the hose pipe may be used to pull the cleaner to any desired position.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hose clamping means is carried by a flexible frame detachably connected to the frame of the floor tool.

3. The combination with a portable suction cleaner including a floor tool adapted to be moved longitudinally along the floor for ordinary cleaning purposes, said floor tool having an auxiliary lateral suction inlet, and an auxiliary dusting tool unit including a flexible hose operatively connected to said outlet; of a frame detachably connected to said floor tool, and means carried by said frame for detachably engaging said flexible hose intermediate the suction inlet and the dusting tool and directing the hose forwardly with reference to the floor tool, the said hose engaging means being located above the floor tool and centrally positioned with reference thereto.

J. LINUS HELSING. 

